my surreptitious lover
by nightofowls
Summary: they barely scrape by, but as long as they have each other, they can make ends meet. —Rogue/Lucy
1. ignite

**disclaimer:** disclaimed!  
 **author's note:** I really ship this a lot. I'll probably add just one or two more chapters to this as closure.  
 **other info:** Rogue/Lucy

* * *

 **my surreptitious lover**  
 _ii. ignite_  
by levy mcgardens

.

.

Dredges of sunlight peer shyly through the latticework. The navy blue curtains are drawn and the new day has yet to come, but Lucy stirs in the dark.

She buries her face deeper into Rogue's bare abdomen and lies with piqued breath, contentedly reassured by the steady rise and fall of his chest as she listens to the faint beating of his heart. The blonde scrunches her eyes together and pretends she has a chance of staying.

Then she rises, untangling herself from the dark-haired sleeping beauty. Brushing her tangled hair aside, Lucy leans on an elbow and reaches out a hand to tenderly trace Rogue's elegant, serene features.

 _His defiant jawline. His cherub cheekbones. His enthralling, hypnotizing crimson eyes._

Her eyes flit to his defined nose, where on the bridge the scar resides. Against her better judgment, Lucy's thumb skims along his brow and temple and she leans forward to kiss the wound. She can't help but think, in the soothing meandering of daybreak, that he is beautiful. And that although wounds can heal and scars remain, they are still indubitably breathtaking.

The ebony-haired dragon slayer's eyes open marginally when she pulls away, and he drowsily, tenderly brushes his own thumb against her cheek and tucks a stray strand of gold behind her ear. His lids flutter closed, but his senses tingle with consciousness and the dream-like reality that he is with the woman he loves.

"It isn't even morning," he says, shifting to lie on his back. Blood rushes to the celestial mage's face as she notices the way his muscles stand out when he flexes.

"Mhm." She resumes tracing her finger down his neck, about his collarbone, across his muscled shoulder. After a minute she finally moves to get up. "Well, I need to go anyway," she states matter-of-factly, as much both of them want to deny it.

Rogue's fingers are like butterflies against her wrist. "Don't go just yet," the plea is laced in the undertone, not blatant, but she knows it. "Stay a while, for once."

"You know I can't." Lucy reaches for the clothes she wore the night prior almost unwillingly. "What would the guild say?"

"Hn." Rogue rests a hand on his forehead.

"How about Sabertooth? They don't know, do they?" Lucy continues quietly, her skirt shimmying up her legs. "Have you thought about what they'd say?"

Rogue says nothing, because he actually hasn't. He's been too preoccupied pining over a girl in an endless cycle of beneficial skinny love.

"Why not?" His reply dances on the edge of a tease. Finally, he sits upright, revealing the warmth she reveled in the previous night that is now out of her grasp. She yearns for another embrace.

"Just because," Lucy settles on the edge of the bed and busies herself with fixing her hair so as not to look his way. Oblivious, Rogue inches over and rests his chin against her shoulders, expression blank except for the loving and fondness carved into the depths of his stormy eyes. She leans against him, sighing, and his warm breath tickles the nape of her neck. "They would disapprove."

Resignedly, she throws herself back onto the bed in the mess of sheets, and in response Rogue lays back down on his elbows and hovers over her.

 _Oh God_ , she muses breathlessly, mind on fire as her eyes take in his features once more, he looks just as good upside down. She taps his nose. "You're my secret to love and to keep."

His soft black locks graze against her forehead, and Lucy can't help but grin, slip her hands along his jaw, and pull him down for a kiss.

When they pull away, Rogue's eyes are soft and half-lidded. He smiles, guides another idle strand of blonde away from her cheek, and gently, ever-so-lightly kisses her forehead.

"Because," Lucy's mind is a-jumble, "because..." Her fingers drift along his neck, and a rumble rises up his throat. "Because we used to be rivals? I don't know. Team Natsu... They just wouldn't agree, you know?"

"What makes you think that?" Rogue raises an eyebrow, perplexed.

"They're not into that kind of thing!" Lucy protests childishly, her sense of reason thrown off-balance by how damn perfect this guy was. "I mean—"

"I highly doubt it," his eyebrows shoot into his hairline for a second and he harrumphs silently in laughable disbelief. "They aren't much better." At the blonde's inquisitive glance, he sucked in a breath. "You know."

" _True_..." Lucy smiles and flips over so they are nose to nose. "Either way," she gets up and gathers her belongings, "I need to leave. I have to catch the earliest train back before that Natsu suspects anything."

"You've already worn the same outfit several times," Rogue points out, his hair falling across his face when he rises and pads after her. Lucy pauses and curses mentally at how perceptive the dragon slayer is.

"W-Well, heh." She laughs awkwardly.

When Rogue wraps his arms around her waist, she almost reflexively circles her own around his neck and plays with his hair. They're both already so familiar with this routine that it's almost their second nature. Lucy sighs deeply and buries her face in his chest, inhaling his scent and cherishing how it reminds her of twinkling starry nights and the most pleasant mornings—nature in general.

 _He's so beautiful._

They stand in silence, and Rogue reassuringly runs a palm up and down the small of her back, tracing circles, emanating security and comfort. Lucy's hands rest at his shoulder and by his waist. After what seems like a breathtakingly mundane moment, the celestial mage's gaze darts up to meet his, and the mutual passion is both eternal and heartbreaking.

"A perfect match like us will burn out fast," she quotes cryptically, and they release one another. Rogue reaches for the nearest shirt.

"A spark lights a flame, and the flame doesn't cease," is the reply, and her responding laugh is like the tinkling of morning bells. Her finger darts to his scar once more in silence before she turns and leads him down the stairs and to the front door. They stop abruptly. Lucy whips around, a mischievous glint in her irises, wrenches his shirt collar down towards herself, and tugs him in for another fiery kiss. Not unsurprised, Rogue returns the fire of the gesture.

When they pull apart, Lucy lets out a morose breath, for their time together is limited, and turns the knob. Outside, the streets are tranquil, empty, and bathed in amber and pink. Steadying herself and shoving away the urge to turn back to Rogue, she makes her way down the path before turning.

"I love you," she says, solemn. "You know that, right?" Her eyes are apologetic. "I wish it was better."

"Any time with you is well-spent." Rogue's arms are crossed and he leans heavily against the doorway, watching as she leaves with his heart in her hands.

In truth, he admits to himself once she's gone and he's closed the door and run a hand exasperatedly through his hair, skinny love is all he can get for now.

But, like his scar, it may not heal, but it'll still be good. Soon.

 _Someday._

* * *

 **endnote:** I hope you enjoyed this!


	2. an effulgent cynosure

**disclaimer:** disclaimed!  
 **author's note:** i mean, i wrote the first chapter as a standalone oneshot, but after some prompting i've decided to make it a full short fic, because why not? it'll probably consist of this and (perhaps) a little extra.  
 **other info:** Rogue/Lucy

* * *

 **my surreptitious lover**  
 _ii. an effulgent cynosure_  
by levy mcgardens

.

.

Lucy's got half a mind to ram a shelf full of books into her teammates' faces, and wonders if they can _read_ the "Do Not Disturb" sign hanging over the doors of the library.

"Yo, _jerkwad_!"

"Shut the hell up, you freakin' snot—"

"Argh!"

"Guys, _please_ ," the blonde hisses, noting the way the librarian eyes them through beady, elderly glasses. "This is the Crocus Library, alright? I need to get through as many as possible. I have _bibliomania_."

Gray fiddles with his shirt collar in discomfort. "I don't get it, Luce," he admits. "Why are we even here in the Crocus Library?"

"Yeah," Natsu ponders aloud. "Even the guild has more books than we can ever read. Why're you coming all the way here?" Lucy colors.

"Because, um, I've read them all!" she interrupts hurriedly, cutting off their train of thought. Subsequently she buries her face in a book, irritated, and her beseeching eyes seek out the last sane member of their team. _Get off my case, get off my case_ , her mind can't help but whine.

"Even the ones in the Magnolia Library?" Natsu raises a skeptic brow, and Lucy stutters something intelligible in response, knowing deep down that even though it's against her better wishes to lie to her teammates, it still isn't the time to reveal the real reason why she insisted they come to Crocus.

Erza, taking into consideration the desperation reflected in the blonde's eyes—sometimes Lucy can't help but grovel to the mage in her head for being such an intuitive friend—yanks the two roughhousing mages up by the scruffs of their necks. " _You two_!" she exclaims in aggravation. "Don't you two have ears? Listen to Lucy and be sensible for once, will you? This is a library. We came here to accompany Lucy, and that is what we will do. Now _be quiet_!" Thus commences the redhead unknowingly creating another scene by attempting to usher Natsu and Gray away from the blonde busybody.

Lucy lets out a bated breath once they've disappeared from eyesight and have exited from the stairs. Hiding her face behind the novel clasped in her hands, she inches out of her chair as inconspicuously as she can muster, and slips between a few bookshelves into a more isolated aisle.

Glancing up, she gazes at the rows of dusty shelves, stocked to the brim with novellas and literary works of all kinds. Just as Lucy reaches up to contemplate over a philosophical essay from an older Fiorean figure, her peripheral vision catches a brief movement at the end of the aisle. She whips her head around to analyze the intruder.

"Oh— _Rogue_? I—"

Her eyes widen marginally when her mind processes the wiry, stolid Sabertooth figure standing at the end of the aisle. Lucy steals a glance to check for her surroundings; when she finds no one, an ebullient smile slips onto her face that she has trouble hiding.

"Rogue!" Her exclamation is hushed, but effusive, as she leaps over and wraps her arms around his neck. Said dragon slayer smiles gently, eyes softening at the sight of the celestial mage. "You came!"

The force of their collision causes him to stumble backwards, and the inertia rocks the bookcase. As it sways, thick stacks of paper begin showering from above; in the spur of the moment, Rogue shoves Lucy aside, away from harm.

They roll to a stop in front of another aisle, both lying next to each other on the ground. Lucy, breathless, rests her cheek against Rogue's abdomen. Contentedly, she sighs.

"I missed you." She raises her head and eyes the dragon slayer. Rogue hides a smile and sits up.

"Are you sure your plan was foolhardy?" he asks uncertainly, scratching the back of his neck. His gaze is soft as he rests his forehead against hers, and his lids flutter shut. "And I missed you too," he interjects quietly.

"They'll catch on eventually," Lucy admits sheepishly. Pressing her body closer against his, her eyes are raw with emotion as she wraps her arms around his neck and her thumb grazes against his cheekbone. "But let's just forget about that for now."

Their lips slant against one another's in a gesture all too bittersweet and familiar, and Rogue can hardly suppress the red-hot emotions that well up in his chest and the craving that builds up in the gorges of his heart. Lucy is like what people would call a _white whale_ ; chasing after her will only lead him to his doom.

Not that he minds, Rogue can't help but think as Lucy's fingers run through his hair.

* * *

Words threaten to bubble up in Lucy's throat as she and the rest of the team sit wordlessly in the carriage. It's the annual Crocus Ball; as thanks for saving Mercurius and for helping in the Eclipse fiasco, the king decided to host an annual ball for all his acquaintances and all the guilds who participated in the fighting, with Fairy Tail and the like as VIP's. This year, it's perfect: a masquerade.

All she can think about is Rogue.

She wants to see him as soon as possible, _especially_ donned with that outfit—

The blonde shakes her head, her cheeks flushing and her heartbeat erratically tripping over itself. Beside her, Erza can't help but notice her odd behavior.

"Are you alright, Lucy?" the redhead asks with a gentle smile.

"O-Oh!" Her eyes widen. Clearly, she didn't expect for her teammate to be so perceptive; but, then again, it's Erza. Lucy regains her composure as Gray's gaze also diverts her way.

 _Thank goodness Natsu's too sick to do anything_ , Lucy bites her lip. _Otherwise, I don't know what I'd do. I just_ — _I don't know._

But she does. The weight of the words she and Rogue shared last time she was over at his house weren't at all meaningless, and she's been contemplating over them ever since. Lucy twiddles her thumbs nervously. If only he were here, then he'd know what to tell her...

"Yeah, Lucy, you okay? You've been acting kind of weird for the entire ride," Gray expresses his concern.

The words burn in her throat, but Lucy just can't bring herself to open her mouth. She knows that if she does, everything will crash and burn. How would Fairy Tail even be able to look at her? These kinds of relations were definitely frowned upon, right? It was all just kind of, well, _icky_.

Then she internally reasons with herself: how would _Rogue_ even be able to be in the same room as her if she felt shame this way?

She was torn from her silent reverie by Erza placing a hand atop her own clenched fist. Genuinely perplexed, the blonde swiveled her head around, only to find Erza's expression promising.

"Lucy," said the knight, quietly, "you know that you can tell us anything, right?"

"Thanks Erza," Lucy's voice cracks with the internal doubt weighing her down. "But it's really nothing."

"You sure?" Gray probes.

 _I'm not sure, but there's really nothing else I can bear to do right now. I'm sorry._

 _Please forgive me, Rogue._

Lucy's eyes are glazed over as she gazes unto the beaming horizon, its colors streaked an imminent, passionate magenta and crimson. Her palms are clammier and her voice quieter than usual, and her fingers fiddle with the lace on her mask.

"Yeah."

* * *

Rogue needs to confess, and he knows it.

The gates of Mercurius loom above them in all their grandeur and golden splendor, and he averts his gaze there, away from the prying eyes of his guildmates. Beside him, Sting fidgets in discomfort, waves of nausea rolling off him, while Minerva attempts to calm him. Frosch braids Rogue's hair distractedly.

"We're here!" Yukino exclaims, pivoting around in her seat ebulliently. "We'll get to meet Lucy-sama and the rest of Fairy Tail!"

Hearing her name, Rogue almost chokes, and has to stifle a cough. His cheeks flare with color and he feigns a cough to rid himself of any prospective attention. As the carriage rolls to a bumpy stop, the others bundle off with Sting in the lead. Rogue follows wordlessly.

"Aren't you excited, Rogue?" Yukino lags behind the rest to join him. Her eyes are alight with joy. The brunet only clears his throat and rolls a shoulder back slightly in response.

"Not particularly," is his automatic reply. He doesn't wish to be terse around his team, but the thought of finally seeing Lucy again really, _really_ distracts him in a way he knows shouldn't.

"Welcome," the multitude of butlers by the doorway bow and greet them. "Sabertooth guests, I presume?" one says, eyeing the blazoning guild mark upon the departing carriage. A few cries from another arriving carriage catches their attention, and Sting beams as more of their guild members spill out.

"Yo, Rufus!" the blonde whoops, slapping said mage on the back. "We beat you here! Nyahahaha!"

Chaos ensues as they bustle through the doorway, but Rogue only smooths his shirt down a tad and follows in a desultory manner, Yukino's steps in sync with his. Really, he tended to prefer solitude, but Yukino was a nice girl who probably wouldn't suspect so much a smidgen of anything between him and Lucy.

As they saunter through the dining hall in all its opulent beauty, Rogue's emotions are muddled as he recalls the conversation they had last time at his house. He knows simply by recalling the rueful expression on her face that he should step up, but every time he thinks about speaking alarm klaxons go off in his head, fearing disapproval and a prospective path in the future that will not involve the affectionate blonde.

His thoughts are interrupted by a dulcet voice he'll recognize anywhere.

"Rogue! Yukino!" Waving effusively, Lucy hastily hurries over, lifting up her skirt in her haste, beaming. He can recognize her even through the lissome silver pearl mask she dons, which do nothing but accentuate her twinkling irises.

Yukino effervescently responds before Rogue can react, and he resides like the sea, waiting. "It's so great to see you, Lucy-sama!" the snowy-locked Saber clasps the blonde's hands, almost on the verge of tears. Said girl bursts into laughter.

"I missed you, Yukino!" she exclaims, embracing her.

"Would you like to go meet everyone else together?" Yukino offers courteously, but Lucy only winks.

"Sure! But you go ahead first. I'll catch you later, alright?" she says with ease, unconsciously taking a step closer to the tall, silent brunet. Once the other celestial mage disappears, weaving in and out among the crowd, Lucy's head swivels around. Rogue gulps audibly—she's just so _beautiful_ , and, and—

"Hi," she says, voice tentative.

 _And she's the apple of his eye_.

Her smile hooks him, draws him to her like a firefly to embers of the hearth. Her fingers clandestinely find his, and as they entwine with his Rogue lets his own wrap around her palm. Noticing mages they could recognize milling about everywhere, he slips on his maroon mask. Lucy's breath hitches in her throat, for the chatoyant rings that encircle his eyes only make his fiery crimson irises seem all the more becoming, all the more brooding.

It's exciting, having a surreptitious relationship, in ways that make her blood pump and her heart stop.

Finally, he replies, his voice a smooth baritone which makes her heartbeat trip and stumble over itself and sets her cheeks off red-hot, "You look beautiful tonight." His hand tightens around hers.

Instead, she smiles and silently thanks the heavens she's got a mask on, so as not to give themselves away.

* * *

Lucy is thankful that there's a period of preprandial free time as the other guests linger. Catching Rogue's hand and whispering excitedly, she paves the way for a sneaky exit so they can find time alone together. Her grip on his hand fleetingly soft, the blonde clambers up the stairwell, which leads to the outside balcony; he follows expectantly.

The night sky is a comely shade of regal navy and violet, and the moon drifts in the sky like a bright pearl, illuminating the circular stone balcony. Adorning the sides by the wall and railing are assortments of climbing ivies and a plethora of colored roses. A gossamer curtain is spread above the archway, and Lucy stifles her gasp of wonder. Even back at the Heartfilia mansion, there wasn't anything as magnificent as this.

It's a fairy-tale setting: secluded, mystical, wondrous.

Below them, the Crocus city lights glisten in wait for something beautiful to happen.

Lucy's hand falls from Rogue's as she spreads her arms wide and pirouettes in the center of the balcony, bathed in the moonlight only. Her dress isn't the odd petal pink it was the last time they were at Mercurius; this time it is simpler, more lissome—it is a gauzy silver and white, clinging to her waist, which falls about her like the waves of a waterfall in a smooth train and reveals the smooth skin of her shoulders and back. It suits her better, Rogue decides, as he strides forward and catches the breathless mage ever so gently by the waist and she collides with his chest in a daze.

Her curled fingers brush against his cheekbone, and Lucy's eyes are soft, raw with emotion. She circles both arms around his neck; Rogue's hands find the small of her back. The slow smile weaving its way onto his face is heartrendingly affectionate.

Finally, Lucy is the first to break the silence. "We're alone," she breathes, barely intelligible, eyes for him and him only.

"We are." Rogue brushes an errant strand of hair out of her face and behind her ear. Glancing around to confirm their solitude, he releases her and steps back. The brunet bows and holds out a hand. Lucy's eyes widen as she understands the cue, and elegantly curtsies.

Without a doubt she places her hands with his and they waltz together under a moonlit sky like their love will only last them the night.

* * *

Erza has suspected that Lucy has been hiding something up her sleeve for quite a while now, and she is determined to find out what it is.

After being preoccupied with entertaining conversations with several others, including Kagura, the redhead glances around, wondering where on Earthland her blonde teammate could be. Furrowing her brow, she sneaks a few glances around, grabs a glass of wine, and sets out on her search.

Erza knows that Lucy's business is just as well Lucy's business, but events like the carriage incident have gotten her wondering if maybe Lucy is undergoing something terrible and torturous that she can't handle the burden of herself. She's concerned. Very.

Her eyes immediately seek out Mirajane, who's busied herself in conversing with an ebullient Yukino. Of course, she and Mirajane have had their fair share of clashes in the past, but when it comes down to this stuff the eldest Strauss can really prove to be a reliable friend and partner.

"Mira—" Erza squeezes through the bustling crowd. "Mira."

"Oh!" Mira lucidly swivels her head around, and a patronizing smile is sent the redhead's way. "Yes, Erza?"

Erza pulls her away from the other two snowy-locked girls and lowers her voice for discretion's sake. "I think there's something up with Lucy."

"Really?" Mira frowns, eyes wide. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," Erza decides firmly. "She's been quite disheveled these past few months. I haven't dared ask her and be too upfront about it till recently, but she's made less and less appearances at the guild and she just seems to beat around the bush all the time. Not only that, but I've noticed a regular pattern starting to form about the missions: every two weeks, she requests for us to take a mission that's near Crocus or the town where I've heard Sabertooth is. I'm sure there's no correlation, but..." She trails off. "I really think we should help her, or support her in the least."

Mira pouts in thought, thoughts wandering. "Oh yeah," she seems to recall, "she _has_ been a little off lately, hasn't she? Mostly after the Grand Magic Games. Maybe it would do her some good if everyone pitched in on something special."

"You stay here, and once I find out we should work something out with the other girls to cheer her up."

"That'll work," the white-locked model's face clears, all smiles once more. "Good luck, Erza. You know she needs it."

Without a further warning, Erza sets off determinedly, a stoic look carved onto her face. Her focus zeroes in on the staircase—honestly, she'd go there herself if she was upset or needed alone time—and as she scales the steps the unsettling feeling within her grows. This is _Lucy_ they're talking about, the girl with her heart on her sleeve and her heart bigger than the ocean itself. If something's wrong, it must be huge.

With these thoughts in mind, the redhead clutches the banister and makes a left turn into the darkness, before an arch leading to the outside beckons to her. It is tranquil and quiet outside, and Titania has no idea why she's even come here until her eyes catch onto two silhouettes waltzing and flitting across the balcony.

Their dance is so ineffably quixotic and _romantic_ that her mind can't help but drift to Jellal, wondering, imagining themselves in the duo's position. For a moment, she is rooted to the spot in the darkness, unseen in the shadows of the arch. For a moment, Erza does not care to wonder who they are; all she knows it that one slip up and she'll ruin the unknown pair's moment.

Yet, something in the movements of the female is so familiar—

A gasp snags in Erza's throat when the penumbra the moonlight causes falls across the girl's face and the silvery light reveals tresses of immaculate golden hair and the unmasked face of her own teammate, dancing with someone she doesn't recognize. The intenerated, passionate expression in her eyes is so foreign when linked with the blonde that Erza knows exactly what the blonde has gotten into these past few months—it's the same feeling she can't help but feel every time she looks at Jellal, and she admits it.

Before she can continue, an airborne Lucy spins back to the ground, panting as she leans against her lover's chest and he warmly wraps his arms around her. Knowing they're sure to be back within minutes as they share peals of laughter, Erza backs away in silence and trips back to the sumptuous dining hall where Mira and the other mages are.

 _But who is the man Lucy is so desperately in love with?_ Her mind whirs furiously, scanning all possible options.

 _Who could it be?_

* * *

Lucy saves a seat for him at dinner.

She knows her guild members might think she's being a little petulant and just a tad eccentric and that it's highly risky, but the blonde knows when to take a gamble.

When Gray takes his seat beside her, his curiosity piques upon seeing her expectantly glance around. "Lucy," he says quietly, garnering her attention. "Are you okay?"

"Oh, yeah!" Still enamored by their time alone together on the balcony, Lucy's voice seems to hint inebriation. She stifles a giggle. "I'm saving this seat for somebody."

Raising an eyebrow in amusement, the brunet says nothing more, only turns to converse with Erza, who's stationed herself between him and Natsu for safety's sake and is still pondering over Lucy's matters. She knows she shouldn't delve too deep, but curiosity sure seemed to have hooked onto the cat before leading it to its death, that's for sure.

More and more guests file towards the dining table and the seats gradually fill up, and Lucy heaves a sigh of relief—Rogue's managed to somehow hold his teammates back to make his absence more credible. As if on cue, she catches his gaze in her peripheral vision as he saunters towards the table with the others.

Politely, he leans in close to her. "Excuse me, is this seat taken?" he asks as naturally as one can manage, while Sting, Rufus, and Minerva sit on his other side. He should be an actor, Lucy muses.

She feigns sadness, glancing around in a manner that Erza and the others can see. The redhead suspects nothing for the moment and shrugs it off. "Ah, o-of course!" She perks up with a wily wink as he sits beside her, and under the table her fingers find his once more. He hides a smile.

"I thought you were saving the seat?" Gray remarks, greeting Rogue.

"Well," Lucy thinks for a moment and throws her gaze around for show. "I guess they sat somewhere else."

"What a shame," Erza comments, her suspicions elsewhere.

Lucy then turns back to Rogue and lowers her voice. "How'd you do it?"

Rogue sips at his glass of wine innocently, before smirking. Setting it down, he says cryptically, "Sting doesn't keep many tabs on his possessions sometimes." The blonde makes a face and prods no more, simply nudging him playfully with her foot.

As His Majesty clambers aboard the table with a glass in hand to make a speech and as dinner proceeds smoothly, they whisper sweet nothings into each others ears and share fairly casual small talk.

* * *

A ball is a ball, Lucy and Rogue both know. Lucy's been to Balsam Night before, and wasn't the prized heiress of the Heartfilia Konzern for nothing, and Rogue's educated like that in his own intoxicating, cryptic way—he's a born dancer.

They take their place in the middle of the ballroom floor, their bodies molding perfectly together in a way that makes Rogue's head feel like cotton. Even their formal wear is the ideal dichotomy—a clash of silvery white, the hues made only for angels and stars above, and of inky black, for the shadows.

She's intoxicated with him and his haunting crimson eyes, barely noticing how she's moving closer to him, how they're waltzing right in the middle of the dance floor under the gazes of everyone they know and have fought with—but she's too consumed with the way Rogue's eyes seem to pierce right through her.

At least they're wearing masks.

Lucy can barely hear the lilting background music; she's far too hypnotized by her partner, for whom she harbors feelings she'll never comprehend. The duo goes around and around, the world around them slowing down as they speed up, completely in sync with each others footsteps. With a lithe movement, Rogue sweeps her off her feet, and it's only the restraint upon knowing they're in front of so many people that keeps her exhilaration at bay while the incessant folds of her dress tumbles around them.

Robbed of breath, the blonde tightens her grip on Rogue's sleeve, and hopes he understands that her eyes express everything she feels for him in that moment.

Exhausted from the previous banters of the evening, including stopping more than a few clashes between Natsu and Gray, Erza sighs and searches for consolation in her other friends—the ones that she can relax after a long day with, so to speak. As she snakes in between the crowds of people in search for another glass of wine, she sees Lucy dancing by the wall with someone whose back is to her. Initially she dismisses any of her rising suspicions, but then she screeches to a halt in her thoughts.

Upon narrowing her eyes in scrutiny, she realizes their movements are far too familiar for her to erase so quickly from their mind.

 _The balcony_ , her mind screams at her, and Erza gathers her skirt in her hands in case she has to run—to help Lucy from prospective danger in case she has no idea what she's getting into or to inform Mirajane; which, she has no idea.

 _Who_ —

Then she turns around, and Erza almost jumps out of her skin, because sometimes masks aren't as foolproof as one might like to think: Lucy's dancing with none other than Sabertooth's shadow dragon slayer.

 _Rogue Cheney_.

In a distant corner, the musician troupe eases into an romantic finale, with loftily mollified notes, and Erza watches discreetly as a smile tickles Lucy's lips and she gently tugs on his lapel. Contemplating what she should do next, the redhead can't help but notice how naturally Lucy acts around him, even when he lowers his head and the two share a kiss as the music comes to a stop.

 _Lucy knows what she's doing_ , Erza smiles fondly at her perky younger teammate, and turns away. She knows she shouldn't have looked, but now that she knows, she swears to herself that she won't tell a single soul until Lucy does so herself.

"Erza-sama!" Yukino pops out of nowhere by Erza's sleeve, and the redhead is so startled she stiffens a tad and tries to draw her head away to the snowy-locked celestial mage, but she isn't fast enough. "Are you— _oh my goodness_!" Her hands shoot up to her mouth in bewilderment as her mind processes the scene Erza has been onlooking for a few moments now.

In a strangled voice, Yukino strains, " _Is it?_ "

Erza can only nod solemnly, crossing her arms over her chest. "It is," she says gravely, turning back to the scene and handing Yukino an extra glass; the celestial spirit mage gulps it all down in her stupor.

"I never knew—" Yukino mumbles, and Erza pats her on the shoulder reassuringly. Several meters away, the oblivious Rogue and Lucy meander about, and the former tucks a stray strand of the latter's hair behind her ears. Laughingly in response, the blonde runs her hand through his messy ebony locks. A hint of red spreads across Yukino's cheeks as she gazes on.

"They're quite cute," Erza confesses her thoughts. "I'm surprised."

Yukino hastily nods, affirming the redhead's thoughts. "M-Me too," she mumbles, still unable to wrap her mind around it. _Lucy-sama and Rogue-sama?_

"Come," Erza guides her away by the elbow. "They know what they're doing. Let's go have another drink."

It's odd, Rogue and Lucy. But somehow in its strange and eccentric way, it works.

* * *

 **endnote:** i wasn't really sure with the Erza section, but i hope it works for you all! i'll leave other info up to your imagination. hope you r &r!


End file.
